The AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy maintains this blog to disseminate information relevant to astronomers who identify as women. If you have an idea for a blog post or topic, please submit to wia-blog at lists.aas.org.
The views expressed on this site are not necessarily the views of the CSWA, the AAS, its Board of Trustees, or its membership.

The NSF had informed the AAS that the deadline for applications for director of the Division of Astronomical Sciences has been extended to 30 June 2009. Full information and the position is available through the AAS Job Register and the NSF homepage.

Back to top.3. Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position, Rice University, October 2009From: WIPHYS, June 18, 2009

Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position is a workshop for senior women graduate students and post-docs who are interested in pursuing an academic career. The workshop is designed to provide participants hands-on experience to enhance their knowledge of and ability to find the right faculty position.

Through support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award, all travel, meals, and lodging costs will be provided for workshop participants. Applications are due August 13. For further information visit 2009 Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position Workshop. http://advance.rice.edu/negotiatingtheidealfacultyposition/

Back to top.4. Celebrate Women in Physics PostersFrom: WIPHYS, June 24, 2009

This full-color poster http://www.aps.org/programs/women/reports/poster.cfm highlights women physicists actively pursuing their work. The poster is 16 inches x 20 inches and fits easily on a door or bulletin board. To order, please send an email to women_at_aps.org and include your full mailing address. There is no charge for the poster, however we reserve the right to limit quantities.

This dramatic set of 11 posters was designed for the APS Centennial in 1999. A few sets of the Century of Physics posters are still available for purchase. To order, please download the Century of Physics Timeline Posters Order Form (PDF) . Price is $50 (US and Canada) including shipping and handling. International orders are calculated individually; email timeline_at_aps.org for details before ordering.

Monday, June 22, 2009

I attended a workshop in France last month, and I made some interesting observations from a gender balance point of view.

Out of 40 participants, 7 were women. (18%)Out of 17 invited speakers, 1 was a woman. (6%)Out of 7 contributed talks, 1 was a woman. (14%)Out of 4 posters, 4 were by women. (100%)

I was probably the most senior woman there, at 5 years past PhD. I believe most of the women were students.

You might say that it's all small number statistics, but this is all in keeping with the trend that students entering grad school in the physical sciences are approaching parity, but numbers at higher levels have yet to equalize.

It's interesting that all but one of the women made a presentation at this conference. Also, 4 of us work on young stars. (This was a multi-disciplinary workshop.)

Some other interesting anecdotes:

- When I was introduced, I was called "Hans" at first. When the other woman speaker was introduced, she was called by a male name at first, too.

- One night, when a group of us stayed up late talking, we looked around and realized that all the women were present.

- Europeans students and postdocs are just as, if not more, worried about future job prospects as anyone in the US.

As for the state of the profession, students expressed concerns on too much geographical displacement for too-short of post doc positions (i.e., two-body problem); low attrition rates in the field; dim outlook in securing a tenure-track position at a large educational institution; lack of mentoring at their current institution; lack of summer/winter schools on e.g., access and use of large data sets. The students expressed gratitude for having this opportunity to express their opinions, and they asked for future meetings-within-a-meeting. The Decadal Survey committee committed to including these students' thoughts, ideas, opinions, and concerns in the Astro2010 Decadal Survey.

In last weeks issue of AASWomen (June 12, 2009), a blog reader wrote in for advice on whether or not to change her last name to her husbands, keep her original last name, or triple hyphenate. Readers were asked to comment.

Kathleen responded, "I took my husband's name legally and continued using my maiden name professionally (and as my official middle name). My main reason was that I really wanted to have the same last name as my kids. I don't mind being Mrs. Ehm (despite the fact that no one can pronounce it...), but I didn't realize that in certain situations I would still end up being Dr. Ehm instead of my hard-earned Dr. Flint (grr, pesky peoplesoft!). So much for my secret identity!"

Martha responded, "I really like my fiance's name, and if it weren't for my job, I'd change my name in a heartbeat. Problem is, I'm the only M. Boyer who has published in astronomy journals, but there are several M. Kelley 's (including my fiance!). This issue alone is making me lean towards keeping my maiden name. But maybe it isn't a big deal....Does anyone have thoughts about having a common publishing name and/or the same publishing name as your husband?"

Back to top.4. Lecturer, Dept. of Physics, Rochester Institute of TechnologyFrom: WIPHYS of June 18, 2009

LECTURER , DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY The Rochester Institute of Technology Department of Physics invites applications for one or more faculty positions at the rank of Lecturer beginning August 17, 2009. The position is a ten month, non-tenure track appointment. Although the initial appointment is for ten months, continuing appointment may be possible. The primary responsibility is teaching introductory physics in an activity-based, workshop format. The minimum qualifications are a PhD in physics or astronomy, experience teaching introductory physics, and strong communication skills.

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the United States from August 17, 2009 to June 16, 2010. Familiarity with current trends in undergraduate physics education is desirable. Research interests compatible with the Department's current research activities are also desirable. Opportunities for summer teaching may be available.

Candidates should submit a curriculum vita that includes details of teaching experience and evidence of teaching effectiveness. All applications must be submitted online at

(search for IRC30882). Applicants should also arrange to have three current references send letters of support directly to Chair, Physics Lecturer Search Committee, Department of Physics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-5603.

The deadline for receipt of all application materials is July 10, 2009. General inquiries should be addressed to cadsse_at_rit.edu. The Department of Physics web page is located at http://www.rit.edu/cos/physics/ .

The Rochester Institute of Technology is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Members of protected classes and individuals with the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the university's continuing commitment to cultural diversity, pluralism, and individual differences are encouraged to apply.

Helen Sawyer Hogg (1905-1993) was born in Lowell, Mass. She graduated from Mt. Holyoke in 1926 and then went to Harvard where she worked with Harlow Shapley on globular clusters. She received her PhD from Radcliffe in 1931.

In 1930, she married fellow student Frank Hogg and in 1931, they moved to Victoria, British Columbia where Frank was appointed to the staff of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. Working as an unpaid volunteer, Helen used the DAO 72-inch reflector to start her own program to search for and study variable stars in globular clusters. In 1935, the family moved to Richmond Hill, Ontario, where Frank joined the staff of the David Dunlap Observatory and Helen continued her globular cluster observing program with the DDO 74-inch. She published more than 200 papers on her research and was well known in the astronomy community for her catalogs of variable stars in globular clusters. She began teaching at the University of Toronto in 1941 and subsequently rose through the ranks to become a full professor in 1957.

Helen was also a skilled administrator. Throughout her career, she was the president of a number of scientific organizations, starting with the AAVSO, in 1939. In 1955-1956, she served as program director for astronomy at NSF in Washington, D.C. She was the founding president of the Canadian Astronomical Society when it formed in 1971.

Outside astronomy, Helen was best known for her writing. For thirty years (1951-1980), she wrote a weekly column on astronomy for a major Toronto newspaper. She also wrote a popular book on astronomy, "The Stars Belong to Everyone", published by Doubleday in 1976.

Her achievements were recognized by many awards and honours. For example, she received the Annie Cannon award (AAS) in 1949, the Rittenhouse medal (Rittenhouse Astronomical Society, Philadelphia) in 1967 and the Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts award (ASP) in 1983. She received six honorary degrees; her first one was from her Alma Mater, Mt. Holyoke, in 1958. In 1976, Helen was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, awarded for a lifetime of outstanding achievement and merit of the highest degree.

Back to top.2. NRC Study on GenderFrom: Ivan King [king_at_astro.washington.edu]

Women Faring Well in Hiring and Tenure Processes for Science and Engineering Jobs At Research Universities, But Still Underrepresented in Applicant Pools

WASHINGTON -- Although women are still underrepresented in the applicant pool for faculty positions in math, science, and engineering at major research universities, those who do apply are interviewed and hired at rates equal to or higher than those for men, says a new report from the National Research Council. Similarly, women are underrepresented among those considered for tenure, but those who are considered receive tenure at the same or higher rates than men.

The congressionally mandated report examines how women at research-intensive universities fare compared with men at key transition points in their careers. Two national surveys were commissioned to help address the issue. The report's conclusions are based on the findings of these surveys of tenure-track and tenured faculty in six disciplines -- biology, chemistry, mathematics, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and physics -- at 89 institutions in 2004 and 2005. The study committee also heard testimony and examined data from federal agencies, professional societies, individual university studies, and academic articles.

In each of the six disciplines, women who applied for tenure-track positions had a better chance of being interviewed and receiving job offers than male applicants had. For example, women made up 20 percent of applicants for positions in mathematics but accounted for 28 percent of those interviewed, and received 32 percent of the job offers. This was also true for tenured positions, with the exception of those in biology.

However, women are not applying for tenure-track jobs at research-intensive universities at the same rate that they are earning Ph.D.s, the report says. The gap is most pronounced in disciplines with larger fractions of women receiving Ph.D.s; for example, while women received 45 percent of the Ph.D.s in biology awarded by research-intensive universities from 1999 to 2003, they accounted for only 26 percent of applicants to tenure-track positions at those schools. Research is needed to investigate why more women are not applying for these jobs, the committee said.

Back to top.3. Best Practices for Recruiting and Retaining Women in PhysicsFrom: Nancy Brickhouse [nbrickhouse_at_cfa.harvard.edu]

"The mark of a successful departmental climate for women is one in which the enthusiasm and ambition of the women undergraduates is transformed smoothly into successful and ambitious women graduate students, with dynamic, forging-ahead female postdocs, energetic junior women faculty, and productive, happy, senior women faculty who all serve as positive role models."

This is a quote from a successful female physics faculty member who has served on several American Physical Society Site Visits to Improve the Climate for Women in Physics. So how can a physics department make this vision a reality? We list below a set of suggested "Best Practices" that are intended as an aid to departments in working towards this goal. From many years of experience with the Site Visits, implementing such best practices will improve the climate for both men and women in physics, and is therefore well worth the effort!

Best Practices for Female Faculty Best Practices for Hiring the Most Qualified Faculty Best Practices for Female Postdoctoral Researchers and Research Scientists Best Practices for Female Graduate Students Best Practices for Female Undergraduate Students Causes for Concern Additional Reading Material Recommended Strategies

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Here's a problem that definitely disproportionately affects women scientists more than men: what to do with your name when you get married?1

My personal advice? Don't hyphenate. It doesn't matter if both your original name and your husband's name are pretty straightforward. Join them with a hyphen, and suddenly no one can pronounce it nor spell it correctly. Your new name is suddenly long and unwieldy, even though neither name was individually. There's also the fact that many computer systems simply cannot deal with a hyphen, particularly most airline reservation systems.2

I actually had it pretty easy in a lot of ways. I got married before I ever published anything, so I had complete freedom to do whatever I wanted with my name. And actually, now that I'm used to it, I like my name just fine the way it is.

Still, choosing what name you go by is one of these issues that is deeply personal, yet at the same time affects your career. You might choose to keep your name because you've already published under that name or simply because it's been your identity for so long. You might choose to change it so that your family will all have the same last name or simply because you've always hated your name.

A friend of mine is getting married soon, and she asked me for advice about her peculiar situation. For the purposes of anonymity, I will call her Ann Baker-Cooper and her fiance Yancy Zhan. She writes:

[...]people have already started asking me what I plan to do with my last name -- change it, keep it, triple hyphenate it, etc. I know you decided to go with the hyphenation route, but I've spent my entire life trying to get away from the hyphenated last name. I am really excited about the idea of taking Yancy's last name, which would make me Ann Zhan. However, there is the major problem that I am fairly advanced in my career at this point, and I've published a lot of papers under my current last name. Also, Baker-Cooper has that uniqueness factor when it comes to publishing, since only 1 other person in the entire world shares my last name. (I did look up "Zhan" on ADS, and there are several, but no other A. Zhans.)

[...]One idea for me is to change my last name to Zhan in my personal life, but use Baker-Cooper in my professional life. I think this sounds a little complicated though, since both spheres tend to overlap... and what do you do when someone at your work books your flights under your professional name b/c they assume it's your legal name. Sounds like a mess to me!

Sounds messy to me, too! I did try briefly to use one name legally and professionally and the other socially, but it ended up getting too confusing and in the end I gave up and embraced my hyphenated but unwieldy name as my own.

I do know that it is possible to link both your pre- and post-marriage names on ADS: it's simply a matter of contacting the right person at ADS. So even if Ann did change her name to Zhan, a search on A. Baker-Cooper would also pull up those by A. Zhan, and vice versa. The trick is getting people to realize that those two people are one and the same.

So now I open the floor to you readers: what do you suggest that Ann do with her name?

1 This is not to say that only women ever change their names when they get married. I know of at least one man who took his wife's name, and a few who both changed their names. But still, this society's expectation is that women will take their husbands' names.

2(Also, it's possible that your own mother will never remember your correct name, but always refer to you by your husband's last name anyway.)

Monday, June 8, 2009

(I apologize for the absence of posts lately, but I've been quite busy lately. I'm debating whether or not to write up my observations about demographics at the conference I was just at, but for now, I'll leave you with this.)

I've been finding myself having the same conversations over and over again with people. They generally start with someone (usually a woman, usually a scientist) looking at me incredulously and asking, "how on earth do you have time to do science, raise a family, AND [insert activity here]?" The activity in question has been any number of things, but has included singing, exercising, knitting, and yes, blogging.

After some amount of thought, the only answer I can come up with is: I make the time.

I don't watch much TV. I multi-task. I keep a pretty strict schedule, ruled by my computer's calendar. I delegate to my spouse. Sometimes, I choose to let things slide (like blogging). My life is generally pretty hectic, but if there's something I really want to go out and do, I find the time to squeeze it in.

Part of what keeps me going is a keen sense that life is too short to regret missed opportunities. One of the most important life lessons I've learned is that if there's something you really want to do, you should just go and do it. This applies equally well to having children, choosing what science to do, playing in an orchestra, or doing a triathlon.

I recently had a conversation with someone in my choral group who was mulling over auditioning for a prestigious local chorus, but was worried about the time commitment given her graduate studies. Inevitably, she gave me that incredulous look and asked, "how on earth do you have time to do science, raise a family, AND sing in a choir? I don't see how I'm going to manage, and I don't even have a family!"

I told her, "Look, you don't have kids. You don't have a husband. Now is the time to be going out and doing these kinds of things, because once you do have a family, it be even harder."

I feel like I sound like a Nike commercial or John Keating, but I do think it's really important to seize opportunities as they arise. Figure out what your priorities are in life. Find out what you are passionate about. Make the time to do them. Live your life without regrets.

"The SET-Routes programme, launched in 2007 with the goal of attracting girls and young women to careers in science, came to an end in April this year. The result of a collaboration between EMBL, EMBO and CERN, the programme established a network of "ambassadors", women scientists who went out to talk about their careers in science at schools and universities across Europe."

Back to top.2. Students Head to Science Camps (Sloan Career Cornerstone News)From: WIPHYS June 3, 2009

This summer, Exxon Mobil, in conjunction with Dr. Bernard Harris and the Harris Foundation, are expanding the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp program to thirty residential camps. The two-week camps are designed for under-privileged middle school students across the country and provide a fun-filled setting for them to gain a deeper understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to promote exciting careers in these fields. The camps are free and all student expenses are paid for by the program. While not all summer science camps are free, or residential, they are available all across the country and provide great experiences for middle and high school students to enjoy first hand experiences in science and engineering. Links to summer STEM camps all over the country are on the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center website! http://www.careercornerstone.org/pcsumcamps.htm (From the Sloan Career Cornerstone News, June 2009)

Back to top.3. The NASA Undergraduate Student Research ProgramFrom: Jonathan P. Gardner [Jonathan.p.gardner_at_nasa.gov]

Please forward to interested undergrads who are US citizens majoring in science or engineering.

The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (NASA-USRP) offers undergraduate students across the United States research experiences at NASA Centers. Students may apply for a 10-week summer session or a 15-week spring or fall session.

Students will receive a $9,000 stipend for the 15-week Fall Session (8/31/09 - 12/11/09), 40 hrs/wk research experience plus one round-trip airfare or ground transportation costs to and from the NASA Center. At the completion of the research session, students must submit a paper on their NASA-USRP research experience. Students may also be asked to discuss their research in public forums and/or participate in NASA-sponsored colloquia, workshops, and technology demonstrations.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub millimeter Array (ALMA) is an international collaboration to construct and operate a large sub millimeter - millimeter wavelength interferometer array of radio telescopes at 5000m altitude in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. For more details see http://www.alma.cl/ .

ALMA construction and operations are led on behalf of North America by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), which is managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) and on behalf of Europe by ESO.

ALMA is opening positions for Test Scientists to participate in system tests during the Assembly, Integration and Verification processes. These positions will develop qualification tests, analyze test results and approve reports. They support routine tests on antennas, such as holographic measurement and optical pointing, by performing data analysis, developing automated control and reduction scripts, and training operators, engineers and technicians. They also develop and execute tests to characterize integrated interferometric system behavior, including radiometric pointing, antenna and beam characterization, surface shape change with elevation, path delay, phase stability, bandpass stability changes, etc. During array commissioning, Test Scientists will work with the engineering staff to develop tests and provide the analysis needed to help resolve problems with system performance. They will also work with the commissioning team to define tests needed to validate the system.

Test Scientists are expected and encouraged to conduct active astronomical research programs.

These positions require an advanced degree in engineering, physics or astronomy at the Doctoral level; at least three years observational experience with radio astronomy, observing techniques, and data reduction; experience in techniques used in radio astronomy observations; experience in software development for astronomical applications (C++, Python); experience with and understanding of microwave and digital systems; experience with and understanding of aperture synthesis arrays; experience in techniques used in radio astronomy observations; experience working in a team environment. In addition, skills in C++, Python; a working knowledge of or willingness to learn Spanish; and a high level of communication and negotiation in English is preferred; willingness to travel to the ALMA sites near San Pedro de Atacama and abroad. Due to frequent travel requirements and work at high altitudes, a successful high altitude medical check is a necessary condition of employment for this position.

The positions are based in Santiago, Chile and will require frequent traveling to the ALMA Operational Support Facility near San Pedro Atacama.

Applicants can apply online at https://careers.nrao.edu and should include a description of relevant experience, curriculum vitae, and a cover letter. NRAO requires three letters of reference, which should be sent directly to tbrache_at_alma.cl.

Applicants applying through ESO may do so online at https://jobs.eso.org or by sending the application to the ESO Personnel Office, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, Garching, D-85748 Germany. ESO requires three letters of reference which may be sent to vacany_at_eso.org.

Review of applicants will begin on 14 July 2009; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory seeks an energetic person interested in science and science communication who will collaborate with our web design and scientific staff to develop and deploy effective Internet content for users of the NRAO's 21st century research facilities: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, Expanded Very Large Array, Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, and Very Long Baseline Array.

The successful candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills, and at least three years experience with HTML, writing web content for scientists, and science web content management. A Bachelor's degree in a technical or scientific field is required. A Master's degree in astronomy or physics, and experience with CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL are preferred. This position will be based in Charlottesville, VA and report to the Assistant Director for Communications.

Applicants should apply online at https://careers.nrao.edu . A curriculum vitae and cover letter are required. The NRAO offers an excellent benefits package, including paid relocation, life insurance, a retirement plan, medical and dental insurance. Review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE.

Back to top.6. Visiting Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy,University of ToledoFrom: Karen Bjorkman [Karen.Bjorkman_at_utoledo.edu]

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Toledo invites applications for a visiting position at the Assistant Professor level to begin in August 2009. Pending final budgetary approval, the appointment will be for one year with the possibility of reappointment for a second year at the discretion of the university. The position will have a primary focus on introductory physics, astronomy, and natural science courses. A Masters Degree in physics, astronomy, or a related field is required; a Ph.D in related fields is strongly preferred, along with prior teaching experience. The person in this position will be expected to teach twelve credit hours of courses per semester, some of which may include laboratory or recitation sections. We particularly encourage applications from women and minority candidates. Applicants should include a current CV, a statement of teaching philosophy, and three reference letters. Review of the applications will begin on July 10, 2009. Applications should be sent to: